The ad's creators also said Tancredo talked about legalizing drugs during a recent appearance before the Arapahoe County Republican Men's Club, but there is no recording of the event. Tancredo claimed his comments are being taken out of context.

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In The Post's June 5 Spot Live show, Tancredo said he does not support the legalization of heroin or cocaine.

"What I have said in the past is I can certainly understand the theoretical line that gets you there if you say government should have absolutely no role to play in this," he said.

He told The Post he has never tried marijuana but believes it belongs in the same category as alcohol or cigarettes.

The Spot Blog

"I'm all for ending the war on drugs. There's no two ways about it. It is a failed war," Tancredo said Wednesday. "We are putting people in jail for nonviolent crimes. We should arrest people for selling cocaine but not for possessing it."

Tancredo's campaign has sent a cease-and-desist letter to radio stations, demanding they stop airing the spot.

The piece has created a rift within the Republican Party because it was paid for by Make Colorado Great Again, whose donors include Armstrong, president of Colorado Christian University.

"He is a poor example of a Christian, that's for sure," Tancredo said.

Former state Sen. Cliff Dodge, a Tancredo ally, wrote Armstrong a letter.

"Bill, you of all people participated in the breaking of Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment: 'Thou shall not speak ill of another fellow Republican,' " Dodge wrote. "You are now Number One on my Wall of Shame for the character assassination of Tom Tancredo."